Inner Mongolian quartz cluster with calcite

Inner Mongolian quartz cluster with calciteLocale: HuangGangLiang mining district, Inner Mongolia, China Approx point length: 4" Approx weight: 74g These quartz points are from HuangGangLiang, and commonly called Mongolian or Inner Mongolian quartz. This isn't your typically shiny quartz; this quartz is completely coated in a white crust and clumpy mineral growth. On one side, the piece displays a long well formed quartz point with a cluster of additional points and minerals attached. Cracks

Locale: HuangGangLiang mining district, Inner Mongolia, China

Approx point length: 4"

Approx weight: 74g

These quartz points are from HuangGangLiang, and commonly called Mongolian or Inner Mongolian quartz. This isn't your typically shiny quartz; this quartz is completely coated in a white crust and clumpy mineral growth.

On one side, the piece displays a long well-formed quartz point with a cluster of additional points and minerals attached. Cracks in the crust and broken ends reveal the first generation of growth was an icy clear colorless quartz. A second generation of growth occurred, depositing a thin sandy white crust on top. Studied closely, the crust appears composed of small white bumps and has a slight glitter like sand.

The point sticking out at right-angle is completely covered in small calcite crystals, with platelet growth all around the base. The larger form of this growth is known as "poker chip" in the industry because the thin platelets commonly grow in stacks.

On back side of the piece, it is nearly completely covered in an unknown opaque black mineral. I suspect it could be poorly-formed specularite hematite. At first glance this side looks unexceptional, but studied closer the entire surface is coated in a very fine poker chip style calcite in a light yellowish color. It looks like oysters covering a pier. There is one white point completely covered with—or composed of—stacked white platelets.

UV reactivity The calcite on this piece will fluoresce and phosphoresce moderately well under 365nm UV light. The denser calcite growth covering the quartz point has the best reaction. The fine growth on the black side has a much weaker reaction.